Seeking Balance

A gorgeous afternoon to ride.

They say that nature seeks balance. You'd be forgiven for thinking that saying is B.S. when it rains for six weeks straight. From late September to mid-October, the weather was negative. Rain came in bucket loads. We flooded. Twice. The last time it was a "major flood" category event.

So, I was thinking that we'd get cheated out of some of our usually nice Fall riding. However; it looks as though we're going to get a bit of balance back after all. The last two days have been stellar Fall days. Little wind, clear skies, comfortable upper 50's/lower 60's for temperatures. Just really nice Fall weather, and it is forecast to continue on like this for several days.

Of course, I love that news, but farmers here are overjoyed. They are out en force reaping the harvest and I cannot blame them. The recent activity in the rural areas has been intense, and I expect nothing less than totally gleaned fields next time I get out there. That should be very soon, by the way. (Probably today)

So, pretty much everyone is happier now. The Sun shining has a lot to do with it, and we did miss that a lot during those rainy weeks. But not everything is roses now. Of course it isn't. The single track is wrecked as of now. Standing water is everywhere in the woods. The rivers are still pretty high, so water drainage is slow to occur. Evaporation of the waters which are sitting in pools now is a slow affair with these temperatures and light winds. Trees and branches litter the trails. 

Standing water cuts off a single track trail in Lower Hartman here. 

Broken branches and downed trees cut off other single track routes in Lower Hartman.

So, I toodled around where I could in Lower Hartman and along old Shirey Road. Then I headed back toward the house on paved bike paths and down several Waterloo city alleyways. It never fails that when I pop down an alley that somewhere I surprise a motorist, citizen, or resident who isn't expecting a cyclist to be rip-roaring down the alley. Don't they know alleys are public and a lot of fun to bomb down?

A beautiful day for a bicycle ride.

I definitely stopped a few times to soak it all in. These days go by so quickly and I just was so happy to be out and about when the weather was so good. The leaves are still turning colors and despite the wicked weekend winds, most trees still retain their foliage. That in itself is amazing!

So, I hope to get in some good rides before the weather takes a turn for the colder and Winter hits. We'll have to see how long we get before that happens, but just several weeks is my guess. Stay tuned on that......

Seeking Balance

A gorgeous afternoon to ride.

They say that nature seeks balance. You'd be forgiven for thinking that saying is B.S. when it rains for six weeks straight. From late September to mid-October, the weather was negative. Rain came in bucket loads. We flooded. Twice. The last time it was a "major flood" category event.

So, I was thinking that we'd get cheated out of some of our usually nice Fall riding. However; it looks as though we're going to get a bit of balance back after all. The last two days have been stellar Fall days. Little wind, clear skies, comfortable upper 50's/lower 60's for temperatures. Just really nice Fall weather, and it is forecast to continue on like this for several days.

Of course, I love that news, but farmers here are overjoyed. They are out en force reaping the harvest and I cannot blame them. The recent activity in the rural areas has been intense, and I expect nothing less than totally gleaned fields next time I get out there. That should be very soon, by the way. (Probably today)

So, pretty much everyone is happier now. The Sun shining has a lot to do with it, and we did miss that a lot during those rainy weeks. But not everything is roses now. Of course it isn't. The single track is wrecked as of now. Standing water is everywhere in the woods. The rivers are still pretty high, so water drainage is slow to occur. Evaporation of the waters which are sitting in pools now is a slow affair with these temperatures and light winds. Trees and branches litter the trails. 

Standing water cuts off a single track trail in Lower Hartman here. 

Broken branches and downed trees cut off other single track routes in Lower Hartman.

So, I toodled around where I could in Lower Hartman and along old Shirey Road. Then I headed back toward the house on paved bike paths and down several Waterloo city alleyways. It never fails that when I pop down an alley that somewhere I surprise a motorist, citizen, or resident who isn't expecting a cyclist to be rip-roaring down the alley. Don't they know alleys are public and a lot of fun to bomb down?

A beautiful day for a bicycle ride.

I definitely stopped a few times to soak it all in. These days go by so quickly and I just was so happy to be out and about when the weather was so good. The leaves are still turning colors and despite the wicked weekend winds, most trees still retain their foliage. That in itself is amazing!

So, I hope to get in some good rides before the weather takes a turn for the colder and Winter hits. We'll have to see how long we get before that happens, but just several weeks is my guess. Stay tuned on that......

News Season: Part 2- Enve Fat Fork And Fat Wheels

The Enve Fat Bike Fork has some serious gram savings.

Enve Debuts New Fat Bike Fork and Carbon Wheel Set For Fat Bikes:

Enve Composites has been around a while now and probably are most well known for the high quality carbon rims for both mountain bikes and road bikes. But they have dabbled in components since the beginning as well. Enve has a long history with carbon forks and they have also done seat posts, stems, and handlebars.

Today Enve has announced a fat bike fork and a carbon fat bike rim/wheel set. The fork is simply called the Fat Bike Fork and it is not only lightweight, but it is compatible with 26" and 27.5" fat bike wheels.

The clever addition of a flip chip in the drop out allows for the fine tuning of the fork offset to optimize the handling for either wheel size. The obvious is here- 15mm X 150mm through axle, 1 1/4"-1 1/2" tapered steer tube, and a claimed weight of 748 grams. Axle to crown is 490mm and the offset can be set at 51mm or 42mm depending on the position of the flip chips in the drop out. Recommended rotor size is 160mm-203mm. Tire Clearance- 26" X 5.2" - 27.5" X 4.8" maximum. The fork has internally routed brake capability as well.

The MSRP on the Fat Bike Fork is $625.00 and is available for pre-order now. Shipping pre-orders should happen at the end of November.

Comments: The weight is nice, and the clearances are nice, and that dual wheel size compatibility is really nice! That was a nice touch from Enve as the fat bike market is kind of split between 26 and 27.5 wheel sizes right now. You would be good to go either way with this offering. Yeah.......it isn't a bike packer's pick, but I've also heard a few seasoned fat bikers say that weighting the front is bad for trying to traverse softer terrain. Hmm......

I've got a carbon fork on the Ti Mukluk, and the differences in ride characteristics based on the lighter weight alone make the switch an attractive one here. A seemingly minor detail- the internal brake routing- is actually a big deal to me. Getting a fat bike, one actually used in severe conditions like ungroomed snow, mud, and sand, the sleekest and smoothest that you can makes the going easier. I can't tell you how many times I've had to pick mud, or clear snow off that was stuck to the exposed brake line. Then again- you can always run sans front brake. That's what a lot of bushwhacking fat bikers do.

Enve's M685 fat bike wheels. Also available as a rim only.

The wheels are from Enve's M Series so these are "trail rated" and not just for snow, as some other rims out there are only rated for snow riding. They also feature Enve's first asymmetric molded spoke hole design which also accommodates fat bike wheels wider bracing angles. The rim profile was designed to shed snow and not allow build up.

Using a tubeless design, these rims don't need a wide rim strip. They also have a hookless bead design. The rims feature an 85mm inner rim width which should accommodate most fat bike tires out there. The rims are being made in both 27.5" and 26" diameters and the target weight is 600 grams for each rim.

The rims are available separately in both diameters offered at $999.00 MSRP each. The rims can also be purchased built up to Industry 9 hubs with a 150mm front/190mm rear spacing. Complete wheels are set to retail at $2800.00

Comments: Enve will be Enve, so the prices on these U.S. manufactured rims is no surprise. That said, it's hard to make a case for these in terms of price unless you value the claimed durability and the specific features of the rim's design. When every gram counts and durability cannot be compromised, yeah..... I can see getting these. They are a premium product and therefore you have to pay the price. If you just want lighter fat bike wheels and don't do anything extreme, well maybe something else would trip your trigger. A Whiskey No. 9 100 rim is wider, almost as light, and costs less than half as much per rim as the Enve does, for example.

Both wheel sizes are supported again here, so that is cool. I like the thought that went into making these trail rated, because, who knows? You might end up mountain biking your fat bike someday and knowing the rims are going to handle it is a nice chunk of "mind peace" to have. 

Note: Images and information were provided by Enve Composites.

News Season: Part 2- Enve Fat Fork And Fat Wheels

The Enve Fat Bike Fork has some serious gram savings.

Enve Debuts New Fat Bike Fork and Carbon Wheel Set For Fat Bikes:

Enve Composites has been around a while now and probably are most well known for the high quality carbon rims for both mountain bikes and road bikes. But they have dabbled in components since the beginning as well. Enve has a long history with carbon forks and they have also done seat posts, stems, and handlebars.

Today Enve has announced a fat bike fork and a carbon fat bike rim/wheel set. The fork is simply called the Fat Bike Fork and it is not only lightweight, but it is compatible with 26" and 27.5" fat bike wheels.

The clever addition of a flip chip in the drop out allows for the fine tuning of the fork offset to optimize the handling for either wheel size. The obvious is here- 15mm X 150mm through axle, 1 1/4"-1 1/2" tapered steer tube, and a claimed weight of 748 grams. Axle to crown is 490mm and the offset can be set at 51mm or 42mm depending on the position of the flip chips in the drop out. Recommended rotor size is 160mm-203mm. Tire Clearance- 26" X 5.2" - 27.5" X 4.8" maximum. The fork has internally routed brake capability as well.

The MSRP on the Fat Bike Fork is $625.00 and is available for pre-order now. Shipping pre-orders should happen at the end of November.

Comments: The weight is nice, and the clearances are nice, and that dual wheel size compatibility is really nice! That was a nice touch from Enve as the fat bike market is kind of split between 26 and 27.5 wheel sizes right now. You would be good to go either way with this offering. Yeah.......it isn't a bike packer's pick, but I've also heard a few seasoned fat bikers say that weighting the front is bad for trying to traverse softer terrain. Hmm......

I've got a carbon fork on the Ti Mukluk, and the differences in ride characteristics based on the lighter weight alone make the switch an attractive one here. A seemingly minor detail- the internal brake routing- is actually a big deal to me. Getting a fat bike, one actually used in severe conditions like ungroomed snow, mud, and sand, the sleekest and smoothest that you can makes the going easier. I can't tell you how many times I've had to pick mud, or clear snow off that was stuck to the exposed brake line. Then again- you can always run sans front brake. That's what a lot of bushwhacking fat bikers do.

Enve's M685 fat bike wheels. Also available as a rim only.

The wheels are from Enve's M Series so these are "trail rated" and not just for snow, as some other rims out there are only rated for snow riding. They also feature Enve's first asymmetric molded spoke hole design which also accommodates fat bike wheels wider bracing angles. The rim profile was designed to shed snow and not allow build up.

Using a tubeless design, these rims don't need a wide rim strip. They also have a hookless bead design. The rims feature an 85mm inner rim width which should accommodate most fat bike tires out there. The rims are being made in both 27.5" and 26" diameters and the target weight is 600 grams for each rim.

The rims are available separately in both diameters offered at $999.00 MSRP each. The rims can also be purchased built up to Industry 9 hubs with a 150mm front/190mm rear spacing. Complete wheels are set to retail at $2800.00

Comments: Enve will be Enve, so the prices on these U.S. manufactured rims is no surprise. That said, it's hard to make a case for these in terms of price unless you value the claimed durability and the specific features of the rim's design. When every gram counts and durability cannot be compromised, yeah..... I can see getting these. They are a premium product and therefore you have to pay the price. If you just want lighter fat bike wheels and don't do anything extreme, well maybe something else would trip your trigger. A Whiskey No. 9 100 rim is wider, almost as light, and costs less than half as much per rim as the Enve does, for example.

Both wheel sizes are supported again here, so that is cool. I like the thought that went into making these trail rated, because, who knows? You might end up mountain biking your fat bike someday and knowing the rims are going to handle it is a nice chunk of "mind peace" to have. 

Note: Images and information were provided by Enve Composites.

News Season Part 1: Industry Nine Announces The A 35 Stem

The new Industry 9 A 35 stem is available in a bunch of colors and several different lengths.

Industry 9 Announces The A 35 Stem:

If you have been paying attention, you know that Enduro and Downhill racers have been gravitating toward 35mm stem clamp diameter stems and handlebars. Industry 9 noticed too.

The newest product and one not related to wheels, (unusual here), they have is named after Industry 9's five axis machining centers, (The "A Axis", to be specific), and is a 35mm stem clamp diameter. It is available in four lengths and a myriad of different colors. Industry 9 will even mix a different face plate color in there for an upcharge.


MSRP for single color A 35 stems is $125.00 and two color versions are $140.00. The stems are available now. Completely designed and manufactured in Asheville, NC.

Comments: This was a bit of a surprise to me. Industry 9 is branching out here and making a cool looking component. This kind of reminds me of the mid-90's American machinists boom in the mtb world with all the in-house machining and anodizing.

Now, the whole 35mm stem and handle bar thing is an unknown to me......now. I have a set up on my Singular Cycles Buzzard in this standard, but I haven't really tested it out yet. With the season winding down, I may not get around to it either. We'll see. But back to the stem!

Yeah, so this may be your new standard going forward for mtb's. It's good to see another option and it is curious as it makes one wonder what Industry 9 might come up with next. Are they the "Paul Components" of the East? Maybe not that quite yet, but I could see it.

Note- Industry 9 provided the information and image for this post.

News Season Part 1: Industry Nine Announces The A 35 Stem

The new Industry 9 A 35 stem is available in a bunch of colors and several different lengths.

Industry 9 Announces The A 35 Stem:

If you have been paying attention, you know that Enduro and Downhill racers have been gravitating toward 35mm stem clamp diameter stems and handlebars. Industry 9 noticed too.

The newest product and one not related to wheels, (unusual here), they have is named after Industry 9's five axis machining centers, (The "A Axis", to be specific), and is a 35mm stem clamp diameter. It is available in four lengths and a myriad of different colors. Industry 9 will even mix a different face plate color in there for an upcharge.


MSRP for single color A 35 stems is $125.00 and two color versions are $140.00. The stems are available now. Completely designed and manufactured in Asheville, NC.

Comments: This was a bit of a surprise to me. Industry 9 is branching out here and making a cool looking component. This kind of reminds me of the mid-90's American machinists boom in the mtb world with all the in-house machining and anodizing.

Now, the whole 35mm stem and handle bar thing is an unknown to me......now. I have a set up on my Singular Cycles Buzzard in this standard, but I haven't really tested it out yet. With the season winding down, I may not get around to it either. We'll see. But back to the stem!

Yeah, so this may be your new standard going forward for mtb's. It's good to see another option and it is curious as it makes one wonder what Industry 9 might come up with next. Are they the "Paul Components" of the East? Maybe not that quite yet, but I could see it.

Note- Industry 9 provided the information and image for this post.

News Season- Explained

A new race in Madison County was announced.

A Note From Guitar Ted: Okay folks, before we dive into the post here I wanted to explain this post, and the two following it, because there are special circumstances at play that you, my faithful readers, need to understand. 

First off, I have been in the "cycling media" now for 13 years. (I know! Hard to believe it's been THAT long and that I am a part of it all)  In that time I spent most of those years covering 29"ers, mtb, and general cycling stuff. As a media member I am on a LOT of e-mail lists for marketing companies. I get forwarded a LOT of info, most of which you never know about or even see anywhere else. I believe in keeping things focused here and wherever I write. Plus, you don't want to see everything I get sent. It would likely be........annoying. That's the best way I can put it.

However; at times I get sent some cool info. I get sent stuff related to mtb, or cycling in general, that doesn't fit on RidingGravel.com.  These press releases are interesting and I think you out there might think so as well. So, I sometimes share that but not until Fridays, generally. That said, some of this stuff loses its traction with me after a few days and it's best if I generate the news here right away. Both for me and for you. Otherwise I forget to get around to it, and well........that doesn't do anyone any good!

So, anyway....... The way things are done today is that the newsy bits have embargoes on them. I cannot share things until a certain time. Weird, I know, but that's how things are. So I have a post hitting at 6:00am today and another at 9:00am today with news about certain bits I found interesting. Otherwise, without the embargoes, it would all be in one, easy to consume post. But that ain't the way marketing plays these days, so...... 

MADCO100: The one newsy bit I CAN share right away is that on May 4th, 2019 there will be a new 100 mile event in Madison County dubbed the MADCO100. Details are sparse, but I have gotten the feeling that this event is coming out of, or is the folks behind CIRREM. I'm sure this will come out in the future, but anyway.......

May 4th. One hunnert miles of hills. Now you know.......

News Season- Explained

A new race in Madison County was announced.

A Note From Guitar Ted: Okay folks, before we dive into the post here I wanted to explain this post, and the two following it, because there are special circumstances at play that you, my faithful readers, need to understand. 

First off, I have been in the "cycling media" now for 13 years. (I know! Hard to believe it's been THAT long and that I am a part of it all)  In that time I spent most of those years covering 29"ers, mtb, and general cycling stuff. As a media member I am on a LOT of e-mail lists for marketing companies. I get forwarded a LOT of info, most of which you never know about or even see anywhere else. I believe in keeping things focused here and wherever I write. Plus, you don't want to see everything I get sent. It would likely be........annoying. That's the best way I can put it.

However; at times I get sent some cool info. I get sent stuff related to mtb, or cycling in general, that doesn't fit on RidingGravel.com.  These press releases are interesting and I think you out there might think so as well. So, I sometimes share that but not until Fridays, generally. That said, some of this stuff loses its traction with me after a few days and it's best if I generate the news here right away. Both for me and for you. Otherwise I forget to get around to it, and well........that doesn't do anyone any good!

So, anyway....... The way things are done today is that the newsy bits have embargoes on them. I cannot share things until a certain time. Weird, I know, but that's how things are. So I have a post hitting at 6:00am today and another at 9:00am today with news about certain bits I found interesting. Otherwise, without the embargoes, it would all be in one, easy to consume post. But that ain't the way marketing plays these days, so...... 

MADCO100: The one newsy bit I CAN share right away is that on May 4th, 2019 there will be a new 100 mile event in Madison County dubbed the MADCO100. Details are sparse, but I have gotten the feeling that this event is coming out of, or is the folks behind CIRREM. I'm sure this will come out in the future, but anyway.......

May 4th. One hunnert miles of hills. Now you know.......

The Inbred Lives Again

Saturday night it was rideable again.

I mentioned on Friday that I had this old Inbred 29"er frame and that a new set of WTB Ranger 2.4" tires had sparked an interest in building it up again. Well, it didn't take long to get around to it.

Saturday we had massive winds out of the Northwest here. They were 30mph constant with higher gusts here in town for a couple of hours and in the 20's mph for the entire day, pretty much. Out in the country I would imagine it was far worse.

So, going out to the gravel to ride was a fool's errand as it would be in the woods. Not to mention the recent flooding, which has rendered the trails unrideable anyway. Nothing to do but go work on bicycles and write reviews. I spent much of the morning writing and then all afternoon, between doing family things, working on the Inbred. The build wasn't too tough since I had everything at hand to complete it.

A little of the build was from the "Fat Fargo" that I sold earlier in the year. (Or was that last year? I cannot remember)  I had stripped off the controls and stem in one piece which included the brake calipers. So, the entire control layout and levers were intact with wrapped bars to boot. There was one issue with this though, the stem was all wrong. I needed a riser stem and I didn't have a spare laying about which would work. But I had one on another bicycle.

The Pofahl single speed had a white Bontrager high rise stem that I had always meant to replace because it was just not "right" looking on that bike. The white would, however, look perfectly fine on the white Inbred. Swap time! I put a place holder stem on the Pofahl and took the white stem and made a test fit to the Inbred. It looked really good and measured out within reason for me to make it fit.

Final form.........for now.

Then I had a spare wheel set sitting here that was perfect for mounting up the 2.4" WTB Ranger tires. Tubeless, of course. (More on these tires later) Then I had to find the 10 speed XT derailleur that would work with the shifters. Yes- I had one in the bin. The bike came with a front derailleur when it was dropped off to me, so that was done. Now, there was a Thompson 27.2mm non-offset post on the bike but I am not a fan of Thompson posts so I swapped it out for the much better design of the Salsa Shaft post. The saddle I found was a white Bontrager Affiinity one, perfectly suited to this rig. Then I had a set of the Desert Series Mesa MP pedals from Fyxation sitting there which needed to be used. Yeah........they are brown! So what.

The chain was a bit of another touch and go deal. I needed a slightly used 9 speed chain and I found one real quick, but it was two links too short. I dug, and I dug around, and finally I found a 9 speed SRAM chain I'd used on some single speed in the past. A few minutes later I had pieced together a chain to work. Okay, so you may have noted I have a ten speed shifter, rear derailleur, and a 9 speed chain? Yep. That;s because I have a 9 speed cassette here. Don't ask. It worked on the Fat Fargo as well. That said, the plan is at some point to swap to a ten speed cassette and chain.

So, added some cages, a couple of bags, kitted it out......Boom! The Inbred lives. It will see a lot of Winter time commuting duties and if we ever get clear trails, I'll be doing single track on it too. Stay tuned........

The Inbred Lives Again

Saturday night it was rideable again.

I mentioned on Friday that I had this old Inbred 29"er frame and that a new set of WTB Ranger 2.4" tires had sparked an interest in building it up again. Well, it didn't take long to get around to it.

Saturday we had massive winds out of the Northwest here. They were 30mph constant with higher gusts here in town for a couple of hours and in the 20's mph for the entire day, pretty much. Out in the country I would imagine it was far worse.

So, going out to the gravel to ride was a fool's errand as it would be in the woods. Not to mention the recent flooding, which has rendered the trails unrideable anyway. Nothing to do but go work on bicycles and write reviews. I spent much of the morning writing and then all afternoon, between doing family things, working on the Inbred. The build wasn't too tough since I had everything at hand to complete it.

A little of the build was from the "Fat Fargo" that I sold earlier in the year. (Or was that last year? I cannot remember)  I had stripped off the controls and stem in one piece which included the brake calipers. So, the entire control layout and levers were intact with wrapped bars to boot. There was one issue with this though, the stem was all wrong. I needed a riser stem and I didn't have a spare laying about which would work. But I had one on another bicycle.

The Pofahl single speed had a white Bontrager high rise stem that I had always meant to replace because it was just not "right" looking on that bike. The white would, however, look perfectly fine on the white Inbred. Swap time! I put a place holder stem on the Pofahl and took the white stem and made a test fit to the Inbred. It looked really good and measured out within reason for me to make it fit.

Final form.........for now.

Then I had a spare wheel set sitting here that was perfect for mounting up the 2.4" WTB Ranger tires. Tubeless, of course. (More on these tires later) Then I had to find the 10 speed XT derailleur that would work with the shifters. Yes- I had one in the bin. The bike came with a front derailleur when it was dropped off to me, so that was done. Now, there was a Thompson 27.2mm non-offset post on the bike but I am not a fan of Thompson posts so I swapped it out for the much better design of the Salsa Shaft post. The saddle I found was a white Bontrager Affiinity one, perfectly suited to this rig. Then I had a set of the Desert Series Mesa MP pedals from Fyxation sitting there which needed to be used. Yeah........they are brown! So what.

The chain was a bit of another touch and go deal. I needed a slightly used 9 speed chain and I found one real quick, but it was two links too short. I dug, and I dug around, and finally I found a 9 speed SRAM chain I'd used on some single speed in the past. A few minutes later I had pieced together a chain to work. Okay, so you may have noted I have a ten speed shifter, rear derailleur, and a 9 speed chain? Yep. That;s because I have a 9 speed cassette here. Don't ask. It worked on the Fat Fargo as well. That said, the plan is at some point to swap to a ten speed cassette and chain.

So, added some cages, a couple of bags, kitted it out......Boom! The Inbred lives. It will see a lot of Winter time commuting duties and if we ever get clear trails, I'll be doing single track on it too. Stay tuned........

The Touring Series: A Ride In Jo's Truck

A Guitar Ted Productions series

Thanks for joining me again on another adventure in "The Touring Series". This tour was dubbed the "Race Against Death Tour". This tour occurred in August of 1995. The three participants, Ryan, Troy, and your's truly, left from Cedar Falls, Iowa to try and get to Winter Park, Colorado in two weeks. Here I am reproducing the tale as it was posted on the blog in 2009. I also will add new remarks and memories where appropriate at the end of each post. 

 Once again, there were no cell phones, internet, social media platforms, or digital cameras in use by we tourers in 1995. I will post images where I can, but this tour wasn't well documented in images, so there probably will be very few sprinkled throughout. A modern image will be used only where it depicts things I want to clarify, like where we were in that part of the tour via a map image, or the like.
 
The "Touring Series" will appear every Sunday until it ends. Look for past entries by scrolling back to a previous Sunday's post, or type in "Touring Series" in the search box to find more. 
 
The three "Race Against Death Tour" riders wait for a convenience store worker named Jo to end her shift in Niobrara, Nebraska....
_____________________________________________________________________________

With our plans up in the air, and the day wasting away, we weren't too comfortable with just waiting it out to see what would happen. We fidgeted, we paced, and basically clock watched for 12:00 noon to happen. The convenience store clerk we'd met earlier, named Jo, had to assess our rigs. Only then we would learn whether we were in for some much needed assistance, or chasing smoke.

When noon arrived, we still had about a ten minute wait on our hands since Jo had to close out her register, talk to the next employee on shift, and get out of her work garb. After what seemed like an eternity, she walked out, asked to see our rigs, and we went outside. Well, as it turned out, our fears were all for naught. Jo had a truck! Not just any old pick'em up truck, mind you, but an honest ranchers truck. A three quarter ton Ford 4X4 with a crew cab and a full box. Yeah......our bikes fit fine. It was another thing to lift them six feet into the bed of that rig though!

So with that done, and our minds at ease, we piled into the cab, settled in, and Jo took us on an incredible 20 mile ride through the Niobrara River back country. It was really cool, and Jo filled us with a ton of information about the area, the struggles the ranchers were having with the Feds, and how we were lucky that we met her since this was the only road around the construction. It was lucky! These roads were crushed rock, steep, and finding our way without a detailed map would have been really hard. Jo basically saved us from losing at least a day on this tour. Not to mention the rest our tired bodies got riding in an air conditioned truck!

Well, we finally came to the end of that ride at the highway west of Niobrara. Jo pointed us in the right direction as we unloaded our rigs slowly and carefully. We were super grateful, and a little bit sad to have to part ways. Jo was an incredibly gracious help, and we wouldn't soon forget her and her big truck. But that's the way it goes sometimes. You meet for just a little bit, and life sweeps you down the road again, far away.

So we turned our faces westward. It was hilly, hot, and we had a long way to go before we got anywhere we could find a proper overnight. Troy wanted to get out of Nebraska, and we all did, really. But that would be a big effort on our route. It was time to go to work.

Our maps showed us we weren't far from a town called Verdel, but there wasn't much of anything there, and the next town was much the same. Finally we pulled into a town that had a convenience store that was called Lynch. We sat for a bit, got the tent out to dry in the southwesterly wind, and tried to cool off from the intense heat of the day. We sat for about a half an hour, then we saddled back up and headed westwards again. The road bent northwards a hair, then we joined another highway. About this time, we started seeing riders headed to Sturgis for the annual motorcycle rally. Things were getting a bit more interesting after a long afternoon of dreary heat and brutal hills.

___________________________________________________________________________

The ride was a tour saver! Jo was a gracious host to us and as I say in the piece above, she was very informative. The struggles of the ranchers versus the government were sad to hear about. Sometimes I wonder what ever became of all of that......

Jo didn't forget about us either, I remember getting a post card from her after the tour was over. I sent her a thank you card as well. It was just one of those really cool chance meetings that you can experience sometimes on a bicycle tour. I've heard about others having similar experiences. It certainly gives you hope for humanity, that's for sure.

With Jo's gift to us now over, it was as if we were coming out of a dream. I remember when she left we were suddenly struck by the loneliness, the feeling of being nowhere near anything we were familiar with. Thoughts of the road ahead were now on our mind and the "unknown" road was intimidating. For a minute or two. Then the exertion of stiff muscles and the attention we had to pay to our situation quickly took our minds off those anxious thoughts. Back to work and the effort to escape Nebraska!

Next week: Highway To Hell

The Touring Series: A Ride In Jo's Truck

A Guitar Ted Productions series

Thanks for joining me again on another adventure in "The Touring Series". This tour was dubbed the "Race Against Death Tour". This tour occurred in August of 1995. The three participants, Ryan, Troy, and your's truly, left from Cedar Falls, Iowa to try and get to Winter Park, Colorado in two weeks. Here I am reproducing the tale as it was posted on the blog in 2009. I also will add new remarks and memories where appropriate at the end of each post. 

 Once again, there were no cell phones, internet, social media platforms, or digital cameras in use by we tourers in 1995. I will post images where I can, but this tour wasn't well documented in images, so there probably will be very few sprinkled throughout. A modern image will be used only where it depicts things I want to clarify, like where we were in that part of the tour via a map image, or the like.
 
The "Touring Series" will appear every Sunday until it ends. Look for past entries by scrolling back to a previous Sunday's post, or type in "Touring Series" in the search box to find more. 
 
The three "Race Against Death Tour" riders wait for a convenience store worker named Jo to end her shift in Niobrara, Nebraska....
_____________________________________________________________________________

With our plans up in the air, and the day wasting away, we weren't too comfortable with just waiting it out to see what would happen. We fidgeted, we paced, and basically clock watched for 12:00 noon to happen. The convenience store clerk we'd met earlier, named Jo, had to assess our rigs. Only then we would learn whether we were in for some much needed assistance, or chasing smoke.

When noon arrived, we still had about a ten minute wait on our hands since Jo had to close out her register, talk to the next employee on shift, and get out of her work garb. After what seemed like an eternity, she walked out, asked to see our rigs, and we went outside. Well, as it turned out, our fears were all for naught. Jo had a truck! Not just any old pick'em up truck, mind you, but an honest ranchers truck. A three quarter ton Ford 4X4 with a crew cab and a full box. Yeah......our bikes fit fine. It was another thing to lift them six feet into the bed of that rig though!

So with that done, and our minds at ease, we piled into the cab, settled in, and Jo took us on an incredible 20 mile ride through the Niobrara River back country. It was really cool, and Jo filled us with a ton of information about the area, the struggles the ranchers were having with the Feds, and how we were lucky that we met her since this was the only road around the construction. It was lucky! These roads were crushed rock, steep, and finding our way without a detailed map would have been really hard. Jo basically saved us from losing at least a day on this tour. Not to mention the rest our tired bodies got riding in an air conditioned truck!

Well, we finally came to the end of that ride at the highway west of Niobrara. Jo pointed us in the right direction as we unloaded our rigs slowly and carefully. We were super grateful, and a little bit sad to have to part ways. Jo was an incredibly gracious help, and we wouldn't soon forget her and her big truck. But that's the way it goes sometimes. You meet for just a little bit, and life sweeps you down the road again, far away.

So we turned our faces westward. It was hilly, hot, and we had a long way to go before we got anywhere we could find a proper overnight. Troy wanted to get out of Nebraska, and we all did, really. But that would be a big effort on our route. It was time to go to work.

Our maps showed us we weren't far from a town called Verdel, but there wasn't much of anything there, and the next town was much the same. Finally we pulled into a town that had a convenience store that was called Lynch. We sat for a bit, got the tent out to dry in the southwesterly wind, and tried to cool off from the intense heat of the day. We sat for about a half an hour, then we saddled back up and headed westwards again. The road bent northwards a hair, then we joined another highway. About this time, we started seeing riders headed to Sturgis for the annual motorcycle rally. Things were getting a bit more interesting after a long afternoon of dreary heat and brutal hills.

___________________________________________________________________________

The ride was a tour saver! Jo was a gracious host to us and as I say in the piece above, she was very informative. The struggles of the ranchers versus the government were sad to hear about. Sometimes I wonder what ever became of all of that......

Jo didn't forget about us either, I remember getting a post card from her after the tour was over. I sent her a thank you card as well. It was just one of those really cool chance meetings that you can experience sometimes on a bicycle tour. I've heard about others having similar experiences. It certainly gives you hope for humanity, that's for sure.

With Jo's gift to us now over, it was as if we were coming out of a dream. I remember when she left we were suddenly struck by the loneliness, the feeling of being nowhere near anything we were familiar with. Thoughts of the road ahead were now on our mind and the "unknown" road was intimidating. For a minute or two. Then the exertion of stiff muscles and the attention we had to pay to our situation quickly took our minds off those anxious thoughts. Back to work and the effort to escape Nebraska!

Next week: Highway To Hell

Minus Ten Review - 42

That's THE Chris King of Chris King Precision Components barbecuing at Interbike '08.

Ten years ago on the blog I started detailing how to convert your 29"er mtb over to off road type drop bars. That became a series of sorts, and if I could ever get the page link to function on this here ol' broken down Blogger page, you could reference that material. One day.....

I also started yakking up another ""Big Wheeled Ballyhoo" event. I don't know what I was thinking after the failed 2008 event, the gas I got about it all, and whatnot, but whatever...... I decided to try it again! I won't let on how that turned out just yet, but what was very different was that this time I actually was promised help and I received it, unlike the doomed '08 event where I was left high and dry to do things myself. Of course, if you've been following along with these "Minus Ten Reviews" this year, you've already picked up on the fact that my then boss at "Twenty Nine Inches", Tim Grahl, was really causing me a LOT of headaches. The failed "Big Wheeled Ballyhoo" was just a minor bit part in that from 2008.

What I didn't share on the blog then, but was going down in the background, was that by this time it was becoming apparent that Mr. Grahl's involvement in the site, and the Crooked Cog Network in general, was becoming less and less. None of us working the various sites really knew what was going on, I don't think. All I know is that between myself and Arleigh Jenkins (now Greenwald), we had almost no communication with Grahl. Not for lack of our trying, by the way.

The loss of images hadn't happened yet, but I saw trouble coming and I was trying to get things into my hands to save as much as I could of it. The super convoluted, complex way images were hosted for TNI and this blog at that time was so......frustrating. Not to mention the money involved in it and the disconnected Mr. Grahl, which made matters just super stressful.

I guess I did a great job of not letting on back then, but in hindsight I probably should have bailed out right then and there. Unfortunately in the coming months I was led to believe more untruths and I got sucked all the way into running TNI. That tale will roll out during the rest of the "Minus Ten Reviews" this year.

Minus Ten Review - 42

That's THE Chris King of Chris King Precision Components barbecuing at Interbike '08.

Ten years ago on the blog I started detailing how to convert your 29"er mtb over to off road type drop bars. That became a series of sorts, and if I could ever get the page link to function on this here ol' broken down Blogger page, you could reference that material. One day.....

I also started yakking up another ""Big Wheeled Ballyhoo" event. I don't know what I was thinking after the failed 2008 event, the gas I got about it all, and whatnot, but whatever...... I decided to try it again! I won't let on how that turned out just yet, but what was very different was that this time I actually was promised help and I received it, unlike the doomed '08 event where I was left high and dry to do things myself. Of course, if you've been following along with these "Minus Ten Reviews" this year, you've already picked up on the fact that my then boss at "Twenty Nine Inches", Tim Grahl, was really causing me a LOT of headaches. The failed "Big Wheeled Ballyhoo" was just a minor bit part in that from 2008.

What I didn't share on the blog then, but was going down in the background, was that by this time it was becoming apparent that Mr. Grahl's involvement in the site, and the Crooked Cog Network in general, was becoming less and less. None of us working the various sites really knew what was going on, I don't think. All I know is that between myself and Arleigh Jenkins (now Greenwald), we had almost no communication with Grahl. Not for lack of our trying, by the way.

The loss of images hadn't happened yet, but I saw trouble coming and I was trying to get things into my hands to save as much as I could of it. The super convoluted, complex way images were hosted for TNI and this blog at that time was so......frustrating. Not to mention the money involved in it and the disconnected Mr. Grahl, which made matters just super stressful.

I guess I did a great job of not letting on back then, but in hindsight I probably should have bailed out right then and there. Unfortunately in the coming months I was led to believe more untruths and I got sucked all the way into running TNI. That tale will roll out during the rest of the "Minus Ten Reviews" this year.

Friday News And Views

Cycling makes me feel great. Now there may be some science to back up the reasons why.

Blinded Me With Science:

I don't know about you, but after I started commuting by bicycle to work, I hated having to drive that commute if the situation warranted it. I never used to be that way. I would just jump into whatever vehicle I had through the years and, ya know......drive to work. No big deal, right? I mean, there were the occasional idiots and near misses, but that's par for the course. I didn't "hate driving to work" then.

But something happened when I started commuting by bicycle. I dreaded driving after a while. Now I never quite understood what it was that switched me around, but I knew I was much more calm, at ease, and mellow after riding to work, and it just felt right. Ya know? I never really had any basis for feeling that way, but now it seems that science has some answers for me regarding this.

It's an older article called "This Is Your Brain On Bikes", and while I cannot verify that any of its claims are based on good science, I can sure find a lot to agree with in that article. Certainly there has to be something about the mood enhancements gained from cycling because I totally identify with that part of the article. Cycling does bring me a good feeling, and it really does help with being depressed. Especially this time of the year when there is little Sun and lots of cold dark time.

So, a plan has been devised..........finally!

Project Inbred:

Two and a half years ago I received my original On One Inbred back. The image today is just how I received it on my bench one day after it had been through two other owners.

Since that time the frame has hung on a hook in my Lab/dungeon/horde and nothing has been done with it. Honestly, I couldn't come up with a good reason to fix it up. I had waaaay too many single speed 29"ers any way, and setting it up geared seemed........wrong. I just wasn't into it and so it hung there.

Meanwhile the original fork also came back to me but it had been thrashed to the point of failure. I couldn't use it. Fortunately I still had the On One Carbon Super Light fork and that's what is on the Inbred now. But other than hanging that fork, I had made zero progress on this.

The mind works in strange ways and sometimes a part or component can spark inspiration. So it was when I received those WTB Ranger 29 X 2.4" tires the other day. They obviously needed to go on a mtb frame, but which one? Since quitting "Twenty Nine Inches" I have thinned the heard of 29"ers and the ones that are left I want to keep the way that they are. But there was that Inbred frame and fork.......just hanging there!  Stay tuned...............

Old Shirey Way (Lower Hartman to you younginz)

 Post Flood Mess:

Yesterday I went down to check on the conditions of the trails near the Cedar River on the South side. The river had fallen below flood stage the day before and with the super-dry air I was wondering how things were going as far as drainage of the backwater was concerned.

Well.......it's a mess.

I feared as much. It isn't going to clear up soon either. With the water table as elevated as it is, that remaining water that didn't/couldn't drain back into the river is just going to sit, and sit, and sit. Obviously it will go away at some point, but by the time it does we will be nigh unto Winter and Fall will be a distant memory here. Brown season will be in full swing and will stay until/if it snows. Who knows when that will be.

In the meantime, I will be gravel riding more and waiting for the Green Belt to clear up. When it does, I'll have to go investigate Marky-Mark- that trail I put in 22 years ago, and see if it needs any touching up. Other than that bit, I'll probably just see how the lay of the land is and determine just what remained and what went down to Louisiana in the flood. Every time it floods the Green Belt changes. You never know what you'll find. Sand in new places, sometimes feet deep. Trail shooting off right into the river where it eroded the banks. Ya gotta take it easy the first time you go in after a flood!

I remember riding back in there years ago after a flood, taking a sweeper at high speed, running through a little wall of tall weeds, only to see nothing but air in front of me. Fortunately the cantilever brakes and 26 inch tires brought me to a halt mere inches from sailing off the new cut bank into the creek several feet below. Exciting, but nearly disastrous.

Now days I usually opt for the fat bike, usually the Blackborow DS, and just slow crawl the entire Green Belt. It helps with the sand and whatever mud I might find. Plus it keeps me safer. I figure on getting back in there in at least a couple of weeks from now. But like I said, for now it will all be gravel travel.

Have a great weekend and keep the rubber side down!

 

Friday News And Views

Cycling makes me feel great. Now there may be some science to back up the reasons why.

Blinded Me With Science:

I don't know about you, but after I started commuting by bicycle to work, I hated having to drive that commute if the situation warranted it. I never used to be that way. I would just jump into whatever vehicle I had through the years and, ya know......drive to work. No big deal, right? I mean, there were the occasional idiots and near misses, but that's par for the course. I didn't "hate driving to work" then.

But something happened when I started commuting by bicycle. I dreaded driving after a while. Now I never quite understood what it was that switched me around, but I knew I was much more calm, at ease, and mellow after riding to work, and it just felt right. Ya know? I never really had any basis for feeling that way, but now it seems that science has some answers for me regarding this.

It's an older article called "This Is Your Brain On Bikes", and while I cannot verify that any of its claims are based on good science, I can sure find a lot to agree with in that article. Certainly there has to be something about the mood enhancements gained from cycling because I totally identify with that part of the article. Cycling does bring me a good feeling, and it really does help with being depressed. Especially this time of the year when there is little Sun and lots of cold dark time.

So, a plan has been devised..........finally!

Project Inbred:

Two and a half years ago I received my original On One Inbred back. The image today is just how I received it on my bench one day after it had been through two other owners.

Since that time the frame has hung on a hook in my Lab/dungeon/horde and nothing has been done with it. Honestly, I couldn't come up with a good reason to fix it up. I had waaaay too many single speed 29"ers any way, and setting it up geared seemed........wrong. I just wasn't into it and so it hung there.

Meanwhile the original fork also came back to me but it had been thrashed to the point of failure. I couldn't use it. Fortunately I still had the On One Carbon Super Light fork and that's what is on the Inbred now. But other than hanging that fork, I had made zero progress on this.

The mind works in strange ways and sometimes a part or component can spark inspiration. So it was when I received those WTB Ranger 29 X 2.4" tires the other day. They obviously needed to go on a mtb frame, but which one? Since quitting "Twenty Nine Inches" I have thinned the heard of 29"ers and the ones that are left I want to keep the way that they are. But there was that Inbred frame and fork.......just hanging there!  Stay tuned...............

Old Shirey Way (Lower Hartman to you younginz)

 Post Flood Mess:

Yesterday I went down to check on the conditions of the trails near the Cedar River on the South side. The river had fallen below flood stage the day before and with the super-dry air I was wondering how things were going as far as drainage of the backwater was concerned.

Well.......it's a mess.

I feared as much. It isn't going to clear up soon either. With the water table as elevated as it is, that remaining water that didn't/couldn't drain back into the river is just going to sit, and sit, and sit. Obviously it will go away at some point, but by the time it does we will be nigh unto Winter and Fall will be a distant memory here. Brown season will be in full swing and will stay until/if it snows. Who knows when that will be.

In the meantime, I will be gravel riding more and waiting for the Green Belt to clear up. When it does, I'll have to go investigate Marky-Mark- that trail I put in 22 years ago, and see if it needs any touching up. Other than that bit, I'll probably just see how the lay of the land is and determine just what remained and what went down to Louisiana in the flood. Every time it floods the Green Belt changes. You never know what you'll find. Sand in new places, sometimes feet deep. Trail shooting off right into the river where it eroded the banks. Ya gotta take it easy the first time you go in after a flood!

I remember riding back in there years ago after a flood, taking a sweeper at high speed, running through a little wall of tall weeds, only to see nothing but air in front of me. Fortunately the cantilever brakes and 26 inch tires brought me to a halt mere inches from sailing off the new cut bank into the creek several feet below. Exciting, but nearly disastrous.

Now days I usually opt for the fat bike, usually the Blackborow DS, and just slow crawl the entire Green Belt. It helps with the sand and whatever mud I might find. Plus it keeps me safer. I figure on getting back in there in at least a couple of weeks from now. But like I said, for now it will all be gravel travel.

Have a great weekend and keep the rubber side down!

 

Black Mountain Cycles MCD With 650B Wheels Reviewed

The "Bubblegum Princess" with 650B's mounted

Yesterday I mentioned that I was going to be testing and reviewing some 650B X 47mm WTB Sendero tires for RidingGravel.com. Well, those went on the BgP Black Mountain Cycles rig and they have been ridden.

I thought it might be nice to put out there how these wheels feel on the new Monster Cross disc frame and fork, since the MCD bikes are so new and all. First, I better give a quick summary of what I used for wheels and tires here.

Both my 700c and 650B wheel sets for the MCD are Irwin Cycles Aon 35 GX wheels. (650B review linked) They are similar in every way but for the diameter. Same hubs, etc.... So, the only difference is tires. I used WTB Riddler 45's on the 700c set and the 650B have the Sendero tires, as previously mentioned. The Senderos are knobby, but on gravel it is hard to tell unless the roadway is packed in and devoid of chunk. Most of my ride was on chunky, fresh gravel, so I feel that the tires are of little concern in that regard.

Now, as for the ride feel of the MCD- It is smooth, but- I felt when I started out riding this thing that, the fork especially, wasn't as compliant as the fork on my cantilever Monster Cross bicycle. And I was not surprised by that, because the disc fork is beefier, and it is a completely different design. The disc fork rides well enough, but again- not cantilever brake bike smooth. I bring this point out because of what happened when I switched over to the 650B wheels and tires.

Another view. I think they look as "right" on this bike as 700c wheels and tires do.

As I said, the roads were mostly covered in fresh, and freshly graded, gravel. It was deep, loose, and rough. What struck me right away about the ride feel was that the fork was going nuts working over the surface. I don't recall that the fork ever worked like this with 700c wheels and tires. Why would this be?

Obviously the gravel had a lot to do with it, but I'd ridden loose, deep gravel with the other wheels as well. My guess is that it comes down to the different angle of attack and that 650B wheels do not roll up and over the top of deep, loose gravel as well as the 700c wheels and tires do. That said, the fork made short work of this and besides a bit of lateral movement every once in a while, it wasn't an issue. The bike just rode really nicely with these wheels.

While the fork's movement was a surprise, the rest of how the bike reacted with 650B wheels was not a surprise. I lost a bit of the "flywheel effect" of the 700c wheels. The trade off is that 700c wheels and tires take a bit more effort to spin up. The 650B wheels acceleration feel was snappier. That's a given on any 650B wheeled bike I've tried. No surprises there with regard to what the wheel size differences do to the ride feel.

Tire clearances are really good with 47mm tires. You could probably put a 50mm tire in there, maybe a 2.0"'er would slip in, but with every millimeter you go wider you lose mud clearances. The 650B wheels are slightly less in diameter than 700c wheels, so the bottom bracket is a touch lower. This never was an issue on my gravel ride, but I will have to report back once I get into some rutted out Level B dirt roads.

Otherwise, I think the 650B wheels and tires look great in the bike, like they belong. So, I will be swapping back and forth every so often. I really cannot say what wheel size is best. There are trade offs with either size which you have to be willing to live with. If I come to a conclusion there, I will chime back in. That said, if you get a MCD, I'd recommend either wheel size, and both if you can swing it.

NOTE- The Black Mountain Cycles MCD was bought and paid for by Guitar Ted. He was not asked, nor bribed for this review and that's that.

Black Mountain Cycles MCD With 650B Wheels Reviewed

The "Bubblegum Princess" with 650B's mounted

Yesterday I mentioned that I was going to be testing and reviewing some 650B X 47mm WTB Sendero tires for RidingGravel.com. Well, those went on the BgP Black Mountain Cycles rig and they have been ridden.

I thought it might be nice to put out there how these wheels feel on the new Monster Cross disc frame and fork, since the MCD bikes are so new and all. First, I better give a quick summary of what I used for wheels and tires here.

Both my 700c and 650B wheel sets for the MCD are Irwin Cycles Aon 35 GX wheels. (650B review linked) They are similar in every way but for the diameter. Same hubs, etc.... So, the only difference is tires. I used WTB Riddler 45's on the 700c set and the 650B have the Sendero tires, as previously mentioned. The Senderos are knobby, but on gravel it is hard to tell unless the roadway is packed in and devoid of chunk. Most of my ride was on chunky, fresh gravel, so I feel that the tires are of little concern in that regard.

Now, as for the ride feel of the MCD- It is smooth, but- I felt when I started out riding this thing that, the fork especially, wasn't as compliant as the fork on my cantilever Monster Cross bicycle. And I was not surprised by that, because the disc fork is beefier, and it is a completely different design. The disc fork rides well enough, but again- not cantilever brake bike smooth. I bring this point out because of what happened when I switched over to the 650B wheels and tires.

Another view. I think they look as "right" on this bike as 700c wheels and tires do.

As I said, the roads were mostly covered in fresh, and freshly graded, gravel. It was deep, loose, and rough. What struck me right away about the ride feel was that the fork was going nuts working over the surface. I don't recall that the fork ever worked like this with 700c wheels and tires. Why would this be?

Obviously the gravel had a lot to do with it, but I'd ridden loose, deep gravel with the other wheels as well. My guess is that it comes down to the different angle of attack and that 650B wheels do not roll up and over the top of deep, loose gravel as well as the 700c wheels and tires do. That said, the fork made short work of this and besides a bit of lateral movement every once in a while, it wasn't an issue. The bike just rode really nicely with these wheels.

While the fork's movement was a surprise, the rest of how the bike reacted with 650B wheels was not a surprise. I lost a bit of the "flywheel effect" of the 700c wheels. The trade off is that 700c wheels and tires take a bit more effort to spin up. The 650B wheels acceleration feel was snappier. That's a given on any 650B wheeled bike I've tried. No surprises there with regard to what the wheel size differences do to the ride feel.

Tire clearances are really good with 47mm tires. You could probably put a 50mm tire in there, maybe a 2.0"'er would slip in, but with every millimeter you go wider you lose mud clearances. The 650B wheels are slightly less in diameter than 700c wheels, so the bottom bracket is a touch lower. This never was an issue on my gravel ride, but I will have to report back once I get into some rutted out Level B dirt roads.

Otherwise, I think the 650B wheels and tires look great in the bike, like they belong. So, I will be swapping back and forth every so often. I really cannot say what wheel size is best. There are trade offs with either size which you have to be willing to live with. If I come to a conclusion there, I will chime back in. That said, if you get a MCD, I'd recommend either wheel size, and both if you can swing it.

NOTE- The Black Mountain Cycles MCD was bought and paid for by Guitar Ted. He was not asked, nor bribed for this review and that's that.

It Has Been A While Since I've Done This

Big, beefy, and with some fancy new tech.

I've reviewed a lot of tires in the last thirteen years or so. My first set of tires that I ever reviewed were a pair of WTB Wolverines, 29"ers, of course. That was when I learned a lot about reviewing stuff from the guy that used to run the now defunct website called "The Biking Hub".

Anyway, I reviewed a LOT of 29"er tires  subsequently for "Twenty Nine Inches". Then when I got out of that gig and into RidingGravel.com, the 29"er tire reviews were over. Or at least I thought so.....

Of course, I still review a lot of tires, they are just gravel/all-road treads now. So, when WTB sent over their newest treads to be reviewed for "Riding Gravel", they sent a pair of mountain bike tires as well to see what I thought about them. It's been a while since I've paid any attention to what is going on in that corner of the tire world with anything other than a cursory look. I mean, I only have a few mtb rigs and their tires are fine for now.

I'll be honest- WTB mtb tires have been hit or miss in my experience. I love Nanoraptors, (don't they just call them "Nano" these days?) I really didn't like the Bronsons, they were scary to corner on! The Ninelines were fantastic for what they are designed to do. The Trailblazer 27.5+ tires were fantastic. The old Wolverines were dead and heavy feeling compared to newer stuff. And on..... However; since those days WTB has made some changes in tech. Big changes....

So, in the meantime, I have to find a bike to put these on and get to riding. While WTB isn't expecting a review of these, I probably will be chiming in on these here as I get along on them. I'll also be mentioning the Sendero 650B tires I'll be testing for RidingGravel.com as well.

More soon........

NOTE- WTB sent over the Sendero and Ranger 2.4" tires for test and review at no charge. I have not been paid nor bribed for this content and I strive to give my honest thoughts and opinions throughout.